Secondhand smoke

In a recent conversation with a colleague, we received some insight into what it’s like to live with asthma. This isn’t to say we weren’t already aware of the dangers of smoking for asthmatics. After all, cigarettes are deadly for all of us. But after hearing our friend speak of his experiences with breathing issues related to cigarette smoke, we felt it necessary to communicate how important it is for us all to avoid secondhand smoke at all costs.

“I can’t even smell it,” our colleague informed us, “If
you go outside to smoke and come back in and I smell it on you, I’ll start
coughing. It’s unbearable. I literally don’t know how people do it. You couldn’t
get me to smoke a cigarette for a million dollars. I’d literally die before I
finished it.”

What can non-smokers do to avoid secondhand smoke?

“Put all of your friends who are smokers on alert,”
says our colleague, “If my friends plan on lighting up, they make sure to do so
away from me. To be honest, I don’t ever have them over to my home because I
just can’t have smoke anywhere around me. And when I visit them, they always go
outside. Believe me, I appreciate it.”

It’s important to point out that our asthmatic
friend doesn’t have the breathing issues he had when he as a child. As a kid,
he experienced wheezing and coughing fits due to such irritants as pollen and
ragweed. His last major asthma attack took place during a camping trip in Grade
4. However, as an adult, his asthma is all but gone. That is, of course, unless
he smells smoke.

You don’t have to be asthmatic for secondhand smoke to impact you.

“Secondhand smoke exposure contributes to approximately 41,000 deaths among nonsmoking adults and 400 deaths in infants each year,” reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Secondhand smoke causes stroke, lung cancer, and coronary heart disease in adults. Children who are exposed to secondhand smoke are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, middle ear disease, more severe asthma, respiratory symptoms, and slowed lung growth.”

The Monday Campaigns is a global movement backed by leading public health schools that dedicates the first day of every week to health. On their website, they point out that secondhand smoke releases more than 7,000 harmful chemicals into the air. To reiterate, cigarette smoke is dangerous for all us, not just those with respiratory issues.

Keep your home strictly smoke-free.

If you’re a non-smoker trying to avoid secondhand
smoke, there is no simpler advice. Keep cigarette smoke out of your home. As
our colleague mentioned, he won’t even let someone who has recently smoked a
cigarette to enter his home. While this may seem harsh for some people, it’s a
necessity if you wish to completely avoid the health hazards associated with
cigarette smoking.

Kentucky’s St. Elizabeth Healthcare encourages people to ask their friends not to smoke around them. “It may be an awkward conversation at first, but it’s important to help your friend understand that while you love spending time together, you can’t be around him when he smokes,” they say on their website, “Be caring and understanding, but be firm.”

Unquestionably, a smoke-free home will vastly improve its indoor air quality. At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we’d like to help you take things a step further. For information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

The vast majority of Canadians get it. Cigarette smoking provides an almost guaranteed ticket to the hospital, at some point. This cancer-causing habit is a known killer to the tune of nearly a quarter million Canadians every year! Each day, 100 Canadians die of a smoking-related illness, says Canada.ca. Does there really need to be a discussion about why everyone should quit smoking? We think not.

Nevertheless, there are still many people who simply cannot kick the habit. For smokers who live with their families, taking the nasty habit outdoors is usually the norm. It cannot be stressed enough that smoking cigarettes inside the home is one of the absolute worst things a person can do for his/her health and the health of everyone else living in the home.

Secondhand smoke is a killer too.

It’s no secret that you don’t have to be a cigarette smoker to have your health dramatically harmed by cigarette smoke. The smoke emitted from the cigarettes as well as the smoke exhaled from smoker’s mouths contain all of the harmful chemicals and toxins necessary to create life threatening diseases in those who come into contact with it.

“Children and non-smoking adults exposed to secondhand smoke have an increased risk of lung cancer, and possibly cancers of the breast, lymphatic system, blood, larynx, throat, sinuses, brain, bladder, rectum and stomach,” details Laurel Heidtman on Livestrong.com, “Dust samples taken from the homes of smokers contain tobacco-specific carcinogens, making thirdhand smoke a possible risk factor for cancer as well.”

What is thirdhand smoke and what are its health implications?

Once the smoke clears, the health risks are gone, right? Wrong. Thirdhand smoke refers to the nicotine residue left behind on our furniture, drapes, walls, carpets and other surfaces of the home. It can even attach itself to toys making young children particularly susceptible to its harmful effects.

Children exposed to thirdhand smoke at home are more likely to have asthma, ear infections, frequent illnesses and even pneumonia, points out Kristeen Cherney on Healthline.com. “Additionally, children who grow up with parents who smoke are at an increased risk of smoking themselves,” she notes.

Take your smoking habit outdoors.

Other than quitting smoking completely, the only other solution to preventing both secondhand smoke and thirdhand smoke from impacting the health of your family is to avoid smoking in the home. It should be mentioned, as well, that you’ll also diminish the risk of starting a fire in the home when you insist on lighting up outside only.

Heidtman explains that “the U.S. Fire Administration, a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, says home fires caused by smoking materials kill almost 1,000 smokers and non-smokers annually in the U.S. One in 4 killed was not the smoker, and more than one-third of those were children of the smoker.”

In addition, it’s pretty obvious that quitting smoking will vastly improve your home’s indoor air quality. At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we’d like to help you take your commitment to your family’s health one step further. For information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

We are exactly three weeks away from Halloween! For many of us, it’s an exciting time of year. Halloween is a highlight of the fall season, bringing joy to children of all ages – especially those who partake in the annual tradition of trick or treating. And while you may be planning on opening your doors to trick or treaters in three weeks time, it’s important to remember some other treats you should be doling out – to your own home!

Give it the sock treatment.

Canadians are known for removing their shoes at the front door. When entering the home, most of us are well aware that there’s no good reason to track in the dirt on our shoes. This is a practice that doesn’t seem to be as popular south of the border. However, if you’re looking to keep your home clean and its air as pure as possible, leave the outside at the front door. As Envirovent.com recommends, remove your shoes when coming inside.

“When you enter your home, make sure you remove your shoes to avoid bringing in chemicals, pollen, dirt and dust indoors,” the website instructs, “If you have a porch it is a good idea to leave your outdoor footwear here or just inside the front door if you don’t have a porch.”

Give it some ventilation.

It can never be stressed enough that the air in your home needs to circulate with the air outside your home. That way, you can ensure that there is good air circulation as well as good heat flow. The simplest way to make sure that your home is getting the ventilation it needs is to crack open the windows for a short periods of each day.

Canada.ca also advises you to leave your interior doors open so as to not make rooms stuffy; use your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans; keep your baseboards and heating vents clear of furniture; keep your beds, bedding and furniture away from outside walls to allow enough air and heat to flow around furnishings and use a mechanical HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system in your home with a filtration system built into the duct work.

Make it a smoke-free zone.

Arguably, the greatest treat you can give your home is air that is 100% free of cigarette smoke. As we’ve blogged about extensively in the past, cigarette smoke is as deadly as they come. Both secondhand smoke (the air emitted from smokers’ mouths and inhaled by non-smokers) and thirdhand smoke (the residue left behind on clothing, bedding and furniture) can cause major respiratory issues.

“Although fewer people are taking up smoking, it remains a primary cause of dangerous pollutants being breathed in the home,” says Envirovent.com, “If you smoke, try to ensure that you do so outside, even if you don’t have children. Cigarette smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals, including 43 known cancer-causing compounds which build up inside your home when you smoke. This is not only damaging the property, it is damaging your own health and affecting those around you.”

At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we would be happy to treat your home to a professional inspection of its air! For more information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

It’s not at all far-fetched to suggest that cigarette smoke is the worst thing that can happen to the air inside your home. Firstly, it can be avoided. By having a cigarette smoker strictly keep his/her habit to an outdoor activity, you can significantly improve the quality of the air inside your home.

Secondly, it should go without saying that cigarette smoking produces deadly effects. Lung cancer, mesothelioma and other fatal respiratory diseases are caused by the seemingly countless toxins found in cigarette smoke. In addition, as we’ve pointed out in past blogs, you don’t even need to be a smoker to be impacted by cigarette smoke. Secondhand smoke is every bit as deadly as the firsthand smoke inhaled by smokers.

The bottom line: Eliminate cigarette smoke from your life completely!

At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we’re well aware that cigarette smoking is not an easy habit to break. As the vast majority of smokers will attest to, it’s an addiction. Cravings for nicotine are often placed at the top of the list of reasons why cigarette smokers can’t butt out for good. This is why there are numerous Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) products on the market.

“NRT can reduce the cravings and withdrawal symptoms you experience that may hinder your attempt to give up smoking,” explains Hannah Nichols of Medical News Today, “NRTs are designed to wean your body off cigarettes and supply you with a controlled dose of nicotine while sparing you from exposure to other chemicals found in tobacco.”

Nicotine Replacement Therapy comes in many different forms.

Skin patches, chewing gum, lozenges, nasal sprays and inhalers are among the most commonly used NRTs. Many of them are available over-the-counter while some others require prescriptions. Naturally, the objective of NRTs is to help cigarette smokers overcome their intense cravings for nicotine. As a result, e-cigarettes have risen in popularity over the past several years. Because they are less addictive than traditional cigarettes, many smokers use them to get closer to quitting the habit altogether.

“E-cigarettes are a hot research topic at the moment,” writes Nichols, “Studies have found that e-cigarettes are less addictive than cigarettes, that the rise in e-cigarette use has been linked with a significant increase in smoking cessation, and that established smokers who use e-cigarettes daily are more likely to quit smoking than people who have not tried e-cigarettes.”

Will power plays a big role in quitting smoking.

It’s important to remember that NRTs can’t do all the work for you. If you’re serious about butting out, you’ll need to busy yourself with other activities that can help you to take your mind off of smoking. The Mayo Clinic highly recommends that smokers engage in more physical activity to help distract them from their cravings for nicotine and tobacco.

“Even short burst of physical activity — such as running up and down the stairs a few times — can make a tobacco craving go away,” they note on their website, “Get out for a walk or jog. If you’re stuck at home or the office, try squats, deep knee bends, pushups, running in place, or walking up and down a set of stairs.”

As mentioned, doing away with cigarette smoking will significantly improve the quality of air in your home. At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we’d like to help you improve your home’s indoor air quality! For information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

At this point, it would be borderline nonsensical to inform you that cigarette smoking causes disastrous health effects. If you’re a cigarette smoker, you are undoubtedly aware of the many health hazards you present yourself each and every time you light up. However, what you may not totally be conscious of is just how bad your habit is for the health of everyone who enters your home.

Secondhand smoke is a killer.

Secondhand smoke is really no different than the firsthand smoke you inhale from your cigarettes. As Health24.com makes clear, “exposure to second hand smoke is never safe as it is exactly the same smoke inhaled by smokers, containing the same harmful chemicals. There are as many as 7,000 chemicals in second hand smoke and 70 of these may lead to lung cancer. Apart from cancer second hand smoke is also associated with stroke and heart disease.”

Needless to say, if you smoke inside your home, you are putting all of its inhabitants at risk. And don’t assume that just because they may not be in the same room as you, the effects of your cigarette smoking habit are minimized. Obviously, smoke travels. However, smoke also attaches itself and seeps into the various elements of your home. We’re talking about the furniture, the walls, the carpets – you name it!

Thirdhand smoke is a killer as well.

“Third hand smoke can be problematic too,” Health24.com explains, “This refers to the harmful chemicals that are absorbed by upholstery and curtains and tend to linger for a long time.” On TheConversation.com, Jacqueline Hamilton reveals that a 2017 study found that mice exposed to household fabrics contaminated with thirdhand tobacco smoke showed health defects within a month.

“After six months, the mice showed evidence of liver damage and insulin resistance, symptoms which usually precede the development of type 2 diabetes,” she details, going on to mention that approximately 600,000 people die from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke on a yearly basis.

Butting out is the only way to save the non-smokers in your life.

It may not be necessary, but allow us to state the obvious. When you quit smoking, it significantly improves your overall health. However, we must also reiterate that you are doing a huge favour for everyone in your family as well. The importance of butting out cannot be understated. This is especially true if you are a new parent. The Government of Alberta highlights just how necessary it is to keep babies away from thirdhand smoke.

“Children are more sensitive to being exposed to third-hand smoke because they breathe near, crawl on, play on, touch, and even taste (because they often put their hands in their mouths) surfaces contaminated with tobacco residue,” they note on MyHealth.Alberta.ca, “Experts on third-hand smoke recommend 100% smoke-free homes and vehicles. They also suggest that replacing furniture, carpets, drapes, etc., can greatly reduce exposure to third-hand smoke residue.”

At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we’d like to help you make the air quality in your home the purest it can be! For information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

Quit smoking. These are two words that are uttered on a regular basis by people all over Canada. They serve as instructions to friends and family members who are still trying to drop their cigarette smoking habits. These days, it absolutely goes without saying that smoking is bad for you. That’s old news. Heart disease and various cancers are known to be the result of habitual cigarette smoking. And still, it’s hard for many smokers to quit.

Better health is imminent for quitters.

Here’s hoping the following information will serve as inspiration to all smokers out there. Did you know that you immediately begin reaping health benefits once you stop smoking? On the Government of Canada website, it is revealed that 20 minutes after smoking your last cigarette, your blood pressure will drop to a level similar to what it was before that last cigarette. Eight hours later, the carbon monoxide in your blood drops to a normal level. And, only 24 hours later, you will have already lowered your risk of having a heart attack.

Canada.ca goes on to list the health benefits that quitters experience over the course of the next 15 years of their lives. Within a year, a former smoker will have cut his/her risk of coronary heart disease to half that of a current cigarette smoker. Within five years, the risk of stroke is the same as a non-smoker and within fifteen years, the risk of coronary heart disease is similar to a non-smoker.

The benefits of being a non-smoker are many.

The Canadian Cancer Society acknowledges that those who quit smoking will enjoy benefits that extend beyond health. Smoking is expensive, they point out on their website. With money no longer being spent on cigarettes, a former smoker puts him/herself in a much better financial position. The costs of those packs add up! In addition, the Canadian Cancer Society highlights how much easier life can be when cigarette smoking is no longer an issue.

“Being a smoker is hard work,” they say on their site, “With so many restrictions on smoking in public places, you have to plan ahead and sneak away to have a cigarette. Not being able to have a cigarette when you want one can make you irritable, taking the fun out of everyday events. And sneaking out of social and family activities can put a strain on relationships. You’ll be surprised how freeing it is to be smoke-free!”

You save others by saving yourself.

At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we look at the issue of secondhand smoke as a huge deal. Quite obviously, cigarette smokers don’t just bring harm to themselves but they endanger the health of everyone around them. Secondhand smoke is known to cause cancer. Cigarette smoking is unquestionably one of the worst things a person can do for the air quality around him/her.

The Canadian Cancer Society points out that your family and friends will also benefit when you kick the habit. “If your loved ones worry about your health because you smoke, they’ll be happy when you quit,” they write, “You’ll be helping them be healthier too – by not exposing them to second-hand smoke.”

Be sure to make the air quality in your home the best it can be! For information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

By today’s standards, the warning “smoking is bad for you” is a mundane statement of the obvious. However, it’s as important as it ever was to stress the importance of eliminating all cigarette smoking from your life. By that we mean that even if you aren’t a smoker yourself, you should take all measures to avoid cigarette smoke at all costs. Simply put, it’s deadly. And it should have no place in your home – ever!

Secondhand smoke is as hazardous to the health of a non-smoker as firsthand smoke is to a smoker. As Statistics Canada explains, secondhand smoke is a combination of smoke exhaled by smokers and the smoke that is released into the air from burning cigarettes, pipes and cigars. Exposure to such smoke can result in a long list of fatal diseases. Among them are lung cancer, heart disease, asthma, bronchitis, middle-ear infections and pneumonia.

If you’re still a cigarette smoker looking for ways to quit, don’t worry – help is certainly available to you.

Nicotine replacement therapy is an option.

Understandably, quitting smoking is easier said than done. It is an addiction. And beating an addiction takes a lot of hard work and dedication. There are, however, some scientifically-proven ways to help smokers quit their nasty habits. Among them is nicotine replacement therapy. As explained by Joe Brownstein on LiveScience.com, this can come in the form of a nicotine patch or nicotine gum.

Glen Morgan is the program director in the Behavioral Research Program at the Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute. He contributes to Brownstein’s article by noting that some people may not like the taste of the gum and instead, consider the patch more convenient. Others don’t like the continuous delivery of the patch and instead, prefer chewing the gum. Some, however, combine the two to combat intense urges.

Will power is essential.

No matter what scientific methods of assistance you may employ, it’s important to be dedicated to your mission to quit smoking. In some cases, that entails significantly limiting your access to cigarettes. Do you tend to buy cartons? If so, start buying cigarettes in smaller quantities. This will hopefully help you to use them a lot less. At least, this is what is believed by Debra L. Gordon and Dr. David L. Katz.

On the Reader’s Digest website, they suggest that you change your cigarette buying habits. “As you’re getting ready to quit, stop buying cartons of cigarettes,” Gordon and Katz advise, “Instead, only buy a pack at a time, and only carry two or three with you at a time (try putting them in an Altoids tin). Eventually you’ll find that when you want a smoke, you won’t have any immediately available. That will slowly wean you down to fewer cigarettes.”

Cigarette smoke in the home makes for a very hazardous living environment.

Even if no one smokes inside its four walls, the remnants of cigarette smoke on the clothes, skin and hair of the smokers in your household can create some ill health effects. Perhaps, it’s time for a home inspection. For more information about the Air Quality Services offered by DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

Now that we are at the official midway point of November, we think it’s safe to say the following: Happy Holidays everyone! Okay, perhaps we jumped the gun a bit. The official holiday season doesn’t kick off until the end of December. However, we all know that holiday parties are already getting underway. It’s really never too early to enjoy all of the wonders that come along with the holiday season.

This is certainly the time of year when you’re a lot more likely to entertain. Having guests over at your home for holiday festivities is always a joyous way to welcome the season. What’s more fun than the gift-giving, song-singing, meal-eating activities that come with celebrating this time of year? Of course, you know we have to mention that with the significant increase in visitors to your home comes the increased risk of polluting its air.

“With the holidays now upon us, it is important you know the dangers posed by indoor air pollution so you can combat the risks,” writes Tara on BioFriendlyPlanet.com, “Although indoor air pollution is not a topic most people are likely to bring up while preparing for holiday visitors and guests, it is a subject worthy of discussion.”

Let’s lay down a few ground rules so you can enjoy a healthy holiday season!

Ground rule #1: Crack the windows.

Firstly, don’t assume that because it’s cold outside, the windows need to stay closed 24/7. At some point each day, it’s a good idea to crack the windows and allow some of the cool, fresh air from outside to circulate with the warm, stale air from inside. This will be especially important when you have a large number of guests come over. A lot of people together in one environment can make for an indoor air quality nightmare.

Ground rule #2: No smoking.

This should actually be at the top of everyone’s list when it comes to holiday parties. Chances are you’re bound to have some smokers come over to celebrate the holidays with you. Let them know that they are welcome, but their cigarettes are not. Insist that all smoking be done outside. It should go without saying that the many toxic chemicals found in secondhand smoke are detrimental to your health, the health of your family members and all of your home’s visitors.

Ground rule #3: Leave your shoes at the door.

This very-Canadian tradition is an excellent way to keep the pollutants from outside from coming into your home. Naturally, we all walk on outdoor grounds that are dirty. Why track that dirt into the house?

“You and your family will benefit from improving indoor air quality as well…Leave your shoes at the door, and ask guests to do the same,” insists Tara, “Shoes can track in quite a bit of dust, pollen, chemicals and pesticides.”

Of course, there is so much more you can do to ensure a healthy holiday season for your family. At DF Technical & Consulting Services Inc., we’d love to help you have your healthiest holiday season yet! Please don’t hesitate to contact us to learn more about our Air Quality Services. Call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email us at info@dftechnical.ca.

When it comes to maintaining good health, everyone seems to have their own opinions. While you’re not likely to come across anyone who suggests that exercising and eating nutritious foods is a bad idea, it is not uncommon to hear people suggest that you do “everything in moderation”. It’s debatable as to whether or not certain foods are safe to eat “sometimes”. But when it comes to one bad habit, in particular, there is no question that complete abstinence is the only path to better health.

Cigarette smoking is horrible for you. We’re not sure if there’s any simpler way to put it. Even most smokers themselves will admit that it’s a nasty habit that offers absolutely no health benefits. Most people also know that you don’t even have to be a smoker in order to be negatively impacted by cigarette smoke. Both secondhand smoke (exhaled by smokers) and thirdhand smoke (the lingering smells attached to surfaces) are known to cause poor health.

When it comes to indoor air quality, there is no enemy worse than cigarette smoke. It impacts both the smoker and the people around the smoker. Quitting, it should be no surprise to discover, is one of the best things a person can do for his/her own health and the health of his/her family and friends. Here are three crazy ways to kick that nasty habit:

1. Get hypnotized.

Not everyone believes in hypnosis. Many regard it as a cheesy form of entertainment. This might be true when it comes to certain hypnotist acts who perform live on stage. But research has shown that hypnotherapy can actually help for smokers to lose their urges to light up.

“A 2007 study, for example, found that hospitalized patients who smoked were more likely to quit when they used hypnotherapy than when they tried other methods like nicotine replacement therapy or cold turkey,” reports Kevin Gianni on RenegadeHealth.com, “Another study in 2008 combined hypnosis with nicotine replacement patches and found success.”

2. Create an “I quit smoking” money jar.

Is money a motivating factor for you? If so, you may want to visually understand just how much money you can be saving if you were to stop spending it on cigarettes. Each time you plan on buying a pack of cigarettes, put the amount of money your pack would cost you in a jar. Clearly, it will accumulate. Plan on doing something special with all of that money you save!

3. Initiate a quitting contest.

If you’re the competitive type, you may care more about showing up friends and members of your family by challenging them to a quitting contest. Who can quit first? Who can stay off cigarettes the longest? If there are other smokers who you can challenge, your path to quitting may be made easier. If there are no smokers within your circle, perhaps you can make a bet of some kind.

“If you’re the type who responds to peer pressure, get your friends involved,” suggests Gianni, “Make a bet that you can do it, with a nice, juicy reward at the end. Or agree to pay your friends a hefty amount if you fail.”

When you think about it, these nasty habit-kicking solutions aren’t so crazy at all. What is crazy is continuing to be a cigarette smoker! What is does to your lungs and the air around you is simply lethal.

The team, here at DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd. not only supports you in your quest to quit smoking, but promotes the improvement of the quality of air in your home. For more information about our Air Quality Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.

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Readers of the DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd. Blog are no strangers to posts about asbestos. We’ve both extensively covered the impact that the toxic substance has had on Canadians and heralded the federal government’s decision to ban the material completely by next year. Of course, the health hazards caused by asbestos continue to affect Canadians to the tune of 2,000 deaths per year.

Among those health hazards are asbestosis and mesothelioma – two fatal lung diseases.

It goes without saying that our nation still has a long way to go to reduce lung diseases as they continue to be costly for Canadians in more ways than one. Just yesterday, Wendy Henderson of Pulmonary Fibrosis News reported that lung cancer remains Canada’s leading cause of death from cancer for both genders.

Lung cancer, in fact, is taking more Canadian lives than prostate cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer combined. As you may have expected, it’s wreaking havoc on our economy as well. “According to the Canadian Lung Association, the three leading lung diseases — asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), and lung cancer — cost the Canadian economy a staggering $12 billion in 2010,” reports Henderson, “More than 6 percent of Canada’s welfare bill is taken up by chronic lung disease care.”

Lung diseases are sending Canadians to the hospital in record numbers.

Henderson reveals that COPD produces more hospitalizations than any other illness and notes that many Canadians who likely suffer from the condition haven’t even been diagnosed yet. She calls for “drastic steps” to be taken by our nation in order to prevent chronic lung disease cases to double by the year 2030.

The nation’s asbestos ban can be considered a big step in the right direction. But, of course, there are many other causes of lung cancer. Cigarette smoke is one of the most obvious ones. The fact that people are still addicted to cigarettes, with all of the information about its deadly effects, is staggering. Henderson admits that measures have been put in place to reduce smoking and secondhand smoke in our country, but more still needs to be done.

André Picard of The Globe and Mail believes that if a threat to one’s life isn’t enough to get a person to quit smoking, he/she should be hit in the other place “where it hurts” – the pocket. “The single most effective way to reduce smoking – along with the millions of deaths it causes – is to dramatically increase the price of cigarettes,” he writes, citing a study that calls for the tripling of tobacco taxes and a doubling of the prices for cigarette packs.

Dr. Prabhat Jah is the director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto and one of the researchers of the study which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. “If the world is serious about knocking down consumption by one-third, the only way to get there is significant increases in taxes,” he is quoted as saying in an interview, “With higher taxes, you will see health benefits in both the short-term and the long-term.”

At DF Technical & Consulting Services Ltd., we are certainly on board with any measure that will work to improve the health of Canadians nationwide. And, as such, we remain committed to doing our part. For more information about any and all of our services including our Air Quality Services and Asbestos Containing Materials (ACM) Services, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-855-668-3131 or email info@dftechnical.ca.